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Donald Trump and the failure to act pro-life

On January 23, it seemed Donald J. Trump realized he had made a mistake. He had failed to make a single statement on social media about the anniversary of Roe v. Wade or the March for Life the day before. His silence brought a heap of questioning, doubts, and ire. So the day after the March for Life and Roe‘s anniversary, Trump hastily got the Washington Examiner to print an op-ed declaring his pro-life values.

Voters can never predict, with 100% certainty, what a candidate will do once he or she is elected. However, a track record – a history of action – at least proves what a candidate has actually done in the past. Words mean little, particularly when they come from the mouth of a professional entertainer.

A look into Donald Trump’s history reveals that his pro-life position is high on words and low – or perhaps, nonexistent – on action.

1. Donald Trump’s words change.

Trump shared the reason behind his claimed pro-life conversion at the first GOP debate:

“Friends of mine years ago were going to have a child, and it was going to be aborted. And it wasn’t aborted. And that child today is a total superstar, a great, great child. And I saw that. And I saw other instances… I am very, very proud to say that I am pro-life.”

The moral logic here is frightening. Children are only worth protecting if they go on to become a “superstar”? That is totally antithetical to the pro-life ethos that says, ‘every life has value’ no matter whether someone is strong or weak.

As Trump so often asserts, he is for the winners, the smart ones, the successful people. What does he think should happen to babies with disabilities?

Back in 1999, Trump gave an interview to Tim Russert, in which he asserted that he was “pro-choice in every respect.” Even back then, he was talking about being president, and stating that he would not ban partial-birth abortion. Interestingly, at the time, President Clinton had already vetoed such a ban twice – an indication that Trump and Bill Clinton saw eye-to-eye on the issue.

2. Donald Trump lacks a real – or truly pro-life – explanation.

It’s become common knowledge that Trump refuses to explain his real position when he doesn’t have an answer that would please his audience.

In January 2015, when he was asked to define what “pro-life” meant to him, he stated: “It means that it’s an issue. It is an issue, and it’s a strong issue.” When asked if he believed abortion early in a pregnancy was murder, Trump said, “No.” And then, when the questioner continued to press Trump, asking if he would be against abortion if the life of the mother was not at risk and if rape or incest were not involved (his exceptions), he stated, “It depends when,” while continuing to repeat, “I’m pro-life.”

As the video above demonstrates (through Trump’s own words), while he is willing to state that abortion is “brutal” and that he is “totally against it.” Yet, in the same breath, he is willing to spread the lie that abortion is a “fairly small part” of what Planned Parenthood does. He also failed to acknowledge that a baby is a person deserving of protection from conception, stating instead that she became a person with rights “as the process goes along.”

3. Where is the record of Donald Trump’s pro-life work and contributions?

Since Trump is not a politician, there is no voting record to inform us of his true positions. The next place to turn is to his volunteer experience, work history, and monetary contributions.

To date, none of these three things reveal a commitment to pro-life values. While Donald Trump has donated to some pro-life political candidates there are also many large donations to pro-abortion candidates, including 14 years of donations to Senator Charles Schumer – one of the Senate’s most belligerent pro-abortion stalwarts.

Recipients [of Trump’s donations] include Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.), former Pennsylvania governor Edward G. Rendell, and Rahm Emanuel, a former aide to President Obama who received $50,000 from Trump during his recent run to become Chicago’s mayor, records show. Many of the contributions have been concentrated in New York, Florida and other states where Trump has substantial real estate and casino interest.

It could be said that Trump’s donations to these (and other) pro-abortion politicians have helped entrench abortion into our society even further. It could be said that these donations are not a sign of a truly committed pro-life candidate.

Additionally, Donald Trump has admitted to giving a large donation (between $100,001 and $250,000) to the Clinton Foundation (as well as multiple campaign donations to Planned Parenthood’s chosen candidate, Hillary Clinton herself). The Washington Examiner reported on the Clinton Foundation’s help with international abortion:

Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton’s international foundation…back two groups that operate a massive international abortion business, including one that heralded its 4,000 abortions in a 2013 annual report.

Clinton Foundation documents show that it supports two groups that provide abortion services and supplies in Africa, India and Asia…

Rather than merely listening to the words of Donald Trump, to gain a fuller picture on any issues we must look deeper.